The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Lunar New Year celebration on Tuesday smashed all known records for the occasion as crowds took advantage of marvellous weather to flood Sha Tin racecourse, reach deeply into their pockets and welcome the Year of the Snake.
Both the attendance of nearly 119,000 – including almost 7,000 at the Happy Valley cross betting outlet – and the total betting handle of HK$1.526 billion, including the Jockey Challenge, were the highest on record, with the government receiving HK$174 million in duty for the day’s action.
“Our records don’t really stretch back before 1992-93, but looking at the figures we do have at that time I doubt very much whether a Lunar New Year meeting has ever been as well patronised or held as much turnover,” said Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
“And I think the atmosphere that was generated was fantastic. All our staff have to take a bow. They worked extra hard and this is the result.”
Officials admitted the huge crowd, which in total exceeded Sha Tin’s capacity, was partly due to some racegoers leaving and re-entering the course for a second bite at the promotional giveaways at the gate, but there is still little doubt the course had all the people it could handle.
The giant crowd didn’t come without issues, with wireless internet on the course stretched to breaking point and the club made announcements more than an hour before the last race that there would be insufficient taxis for people to leave the track.
“Obviously, something like this makes you look at your infrastructure, too,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “The wi-fi was dropping in and out under the load and we have to talk to our service provider regarding that.
“I want to apologise to anyone who was affected by the issues to do with the crowd but I think it is still a great indicator of the health of racing and the enthusiasm of people for the sport.
“The racing was great and sets us up very well for our Group One Classic Cup on Sunday.”
